One of the world’s great racing cars, a 1939 Mercedes-Benz W 154 Silver Arrow, will be specially featured at Lime Rock Park’s Vintage Festival September 4-7, 2009.
A stellar attraction of the legendary period from 1934 to 1939, the W 154 represents the apogee of the supercharger era of Mercedes-Benz’s racing vehicles. Rudolf Carraciola drove a Silver Arrow to the Grand Prix world title in 1938. The car dominated again in 1939, piloted by Hermann Lang.
Germany’s Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union GP motor racing vehicles between 1934 and 1939 were dubbed “Silver Arrows” by the press, applying later to Mercedes-Benz F1 and sports cars from 1954 onward.
Very few of these cars were built and many were broken up or simply disappeared during the war era 1939-45 war. Audi has commissioned several replicas of their Auto Union ancestors which appear at important vintage events.
But the W 154 Mercedes coming to Lime Rock is the real thing, campaigned by the likes of Lang, Carraciola and England’s Dick Seaman, who won the 1938 German Grand Prix.
The Mercedes will join several other exceptionally rare Grand Prix cars at the Festival. “The Festival this year will have some of the greatest racing cars of all time, both on display and competing,” said Skip Barber. “I can’t wait to see them on our newly resurfaced track.”
Lime Rock also announced Klub Sport, the super enthusiastic Porsche group headed by Phil Bagley that buys, sells and restores vintage Porsches, has organized two races at the Festival; a 30-minute event on Saturday and a one-hour event on Monday. The Monday race counts toward Klub Sports’ annual championship.
Eligible cars are the 2.0-liter 911 and the 914 up to 2.0 liter, and all 356s. Normally there are 30 to 50 participants and at any given race there are as many as four to six frontrunners, duking and dicing for the lead. The margin of victory is usually 1 second or less.
Additionally, for the first time in many years, the Lime Rock Vintage Festival has scheduled several “endurance” races this year. In addition to the usual 10- and 15-lap sprints, there will be several 45-minute and 1-hour races. That means the potential of driver changes, even some servicing during pit stops.
For more information, visit www.limerock.com.
[Source: Lime Rock Park]
I don’t need to own it, but I would LOVE to drive it, as my father was a panel beater on the pre-war Mercedes GP car team.
I can’t wait to see this beauty run at Lime Rock this weekend. Fantastic! Hey Stu, did you live in Zena, NY?
So in 2011 you tell us a W154 M-B will be at the 2009 Lime Rock Vintage Festival???
Robert –
This story was published July 06, 2009. The publish date is always right below the title.
Best,
SCD